The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-10-12

.'Ihe breaks in the leVees IN AihaHn onress |
the river. and Opossum iGFh .b oh STATE Of
I ,nI,is;snas Nest Carroll, Morehouse, Hlcn-
and. Ouachita, Catahoula,, Frank MaE
son' Fast Carroll, Caldwell and ConcoTaiha
are directly Affected by these th orss sssr a. going
through these breaks helps to swell inc VOL
nme coming down from Arkansas. u,o.s
TAI of this vast quantity OF water ga,i ;eaS
in the Tensas Basin and goes into hen liaoi
and into the Atchafaiasga. ~ can og from the
streets of Pine Bluff finds its way INTO sie
Onachita through the Bayou Bartnolonef".o f
The available means at the disposal VI
the State are as follows:
teyee tax per al, S11 GIniaee fund 1850
Making for this year. 's''4 ''''
1.-The annual appropriation for leyee pnr.
poses is barely sufficient TO repair damages
from overflow, cavlng banks. ETC., eacn teii.
The amount required, including Moih t w IA
done III the State OF ArA9nsas anu " md
the Ashton, MorganZa, Diamond lsialu atiu
BDugere leyees, ard to raise the ieveeS on ~
average OF one foot, with propoftlohate
increase of base, will be 81, 93G, 600. :. :.
From these data it will be seen that i Is
beyond the financial ability OF the o'a'e ~
" 1T it is to be hoped THAI all interests affected
NAV combine so as TO raise the necessary
means 10 accomplish this year q part oL tlie o
work. and, il during the ensuing year, We
NAV ESCAPE high water, the following year
Will and MS in a condition to nearly. compete
il For this purpose l would advise that
there be
in all the leyee districts-that certain nun IN
Der of days be set apart to Work on tie
evees and that at sl.cn ti,le n I'VE to the
front and vigorously pursue the WORK on we
layees, increasing their height and stfehSth-
eaing their base. Kansas viewed WIN aiat IL
the Disappearance of her forests and ar;lng
nDof her brooks and springs. she set apart
q .E dov To he observed annually as Arbor Day
for the volunteer planting OF forest trees.
She has been rewarded by toreats on hei
former treeless prairies, rainfall and the IlH'-
murng OF brooks in once dry places, ai!4 tlie
since narched and dried. Thus what wa; be-
yond the power of the State. to do, by Noiuh-
| tary and combined action has been accoil-
plished.
levecs several railroads are diretus g t5i
be to their pecuniary advantage 10 90 50,
| that they should contribute with the State IN
rebuilding and repairing these, leyees.
"a very important subject should ~ engage
the attention of the convention. ms Is 70
provide some concert of action during nigh
water by which the leyees can be watched
and breaks prevented Our lcvee laws con-
template only that the State. shall put up
such levce5 as are OF prime. importance "
The State. To local authorities Is reunited
the care and attention to them. But OF
late this responsibility has been thrown upon
file State In a number OF instances the
State has been called upon to close craWnsni
holes and make other repairs the cost OF
insignificant, but when the Board OF En-
aineers were notified and the work under.
taken the cost swelied into hundreds OF dol
lars. The local authorities or lndlyldua
owners of places refused or neglected to az
the work, and it became compulsory upoI
the State. During the high water it is abso
lutcly necessary to keep close and consSan
watch ION the leyees. This must be don'
either by the police jurles or by yolun!eel
aid. viii advise that volunteer organlZa
tions be formed: that stations be establlshet
at every ten miles. furnished by the Stah
with all appliances for closing GreVssseS
that between these stations patrol be con
, stantly kept up. and in case OF danger sig
nal be given, when the eutlre working popa
lation between the stations can be concen
trated on the threatened point. Some othee
and more practical mode may suggest ltsel
to those who have had experience IN Ties
: matters.
3 80, Improvement OF navigation.
2 81 respectfully submit the following e.
: tract from my message to the teneral Al
, sembly, session OF 1882:
Experience has demonstrated that tn
Mississippi river shoals wherever there al
crevasses or outlets, and deepens whereve
I the leyees remain. A line OF .leyees WI
deepen its channel-a series OF ereyasss
improvement of harbor or river there 81
: certain facts to be ascertaiued by Congress
: that it may be known whether or not the on
7 lay comes within the Glars or description {
works falling under the con nsa ~
g and had occurred often in other appropri
: tons. Experience proves whether it
e necessary to deepen the harbor of New lol
or Boston, and the, manner, OF doing II
e within the discretion OF Congress. Ihf
: body has already declared that it is niece
+ sary to improve the Mississippi river /
: deepening its channel The lefty system
S the mouth OF the river has proved succei
= even beyond expectation. The levees opera
, the same as the jetties, by contining, the Gu
9 in name and not in effect, aud il can nal
: no difference in constitutional constru
: try will be. protected from owe
E flow, devastation and ruin by t
egees IS no reason n Mhhy the prol
J: The Jetties have given a deep, channel fro
G the deep waters OF the Gulf of New Oriean
n By extending them up the river, deep cha
/ mel will be secured to the port OF st. Lou
|
both banks, are substantially protected
levees and the water confined to its cham!
it will be no unusual sight to see sseamshl
d lying at the wharves of st. Louis, or ev
"a those of Chicago, since it might be, a.
IS probably would be- found imperative t to e
IF tho Mississippi with the great lakes b.
ri ship canal.
v mission for the
lie IMPROVEMENT OF THE NAVIGATION
of the river, they have declared 1t essenti
during the progress of their work, TO Ike
le up line of levees, and in this way the cha
tn economically accomplished. The impro
is ments contemplated by Congress relate sol
to the navigation of the river. 1t has
! proved. on more than one occasion, OF
! plans of the commission. That our alluv
re lands will be as an incident freed from inl
of dalton il the commission succeed i'll tn
h. undertaking | think there can be no dou
lie and believe the only obstacle to the succ
ne of the commission viii be the want Of me:
"a to carry ont their piars, ana this can only
to produced by want of harmony among tb
e. interested III river improvement and prot
I'M ton from overflow.
of 1.-The whole nation is interested in the
nd provenent OF the navigation OF the Mis-
ur sippi river, and | hope to see unity of act
and purpose in this convention. so az
Congress will make the necessary appropI
mt tons to carry out the plans of the Comm
as sion, which it has already Endorsed.
II the appropriations are made l HI
,rs sufficient confidence in the engineer
'or talent of the country to believe that it
H. successfully solve the Mississippi probl,
ne |, therefore, hope no action will be taken
he influence Congress to make appropriate
til purely for local leyee purposes. or in ia
mt Of any particular lateral outlet by which
ees general system OF improvement adopted
icb the Commission may be interfered with
ant THE State of Louisiana has no author
me to close any navigable stream, and she
take no steps in the closing of the Atchi
to laya or the mouth of Red river There
re- diversity OF opinion on this question, anj
Oh the Federal government has exclusive c
the troll over this matter it may be well emo
zen to eliminate its discussion from the con,
be ton and to wait at least until some steps
taken by the Mississippi River Commissi
which is now having surveys made and
, of lecting information for future action
be have no time to theorize, and it is too lat